Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa stated during interviews with 60 Minutes and Margaret Brennan in Washington on September 21st, 2025, that the international community failed Syria by not acting against "oppression" and "crimes." He argued that the world should have supported victims of chemical attacks, confronted ISIS, and expelled Iranian militias and Hezbollah, instead of leaving Syria to undertake these "noble acts." Al-Sharaa also asserted that those opposing the lifting of sanctions are complicit in "killing the Syrian people again" by hindering reconstruction. In his statements, broadcast during the reporting window from 3:38 PM to 6:38 PM UTC on September 21st, President al-Sharaa emphasized that the international community "could not free a single prisoner or break a single siege, nor did it deter the regime from using chemical weapons." He posited that Syria should not be "standing accused at the defense table," but rather questioning the silence of others as "crimes unfolded." These remarks were made in the context of ongoing diplomatic engagements in the United States, following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that peace with Syria and Lebanon is possible. Previous reports indicated that Syrian Foreign Minister Asad a-Shevani was in Washington for discussions, coinciding with Prime Minister Netanyahu's statements. The Syrian Ministry of Defense had also denied responsibility for shelling incidents in eastern Aleppo on September 20th, accusing the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of targeting villages. Unverified social media reports from SyrianOsint around 10:30 AM UTC on September 21st suggested Foreign Minister a-Shevani had appealed for sanctions to be lifted. Syrian parliamentary elections are reportedly scheduled for October 5th, according to the Yedioth Agency via N12.
